Cricket was back in the TDCA yesterday, with Imps A Grade starting the season in the same way they did in 2021/22 with a quality win over Rovers. With the rest of the games being washed out, Imps go to the top of the A Grade ladder for the first time in a very long time.

It was a new look Imperials side yesterday, with a whopping seven new players making their A Grade debut for the Club. Libin Balakrishnan (Raider), Jayden Jones (Ex Students), Dominic Thompson (Tassie), Tom Starkey & Charie Pilling (Poms) were all playing their first game for the Club, while C Grade Premiership players Mick McNulty and Johnny Downs were also making their A Grade debut.

Rovers won the toss and sent Imps into bat, and skipper Witchy continued on his good form in the UK over winter, top scoring with 64. He was well supported by Charlie Pilling (20), Sharpy (13), and Johnny Downes (13). Imps were 4/128 at one point, and we were potentially looking at a score of 200, but Rovers were able to restrict us to 153, which was still a good total to defend.

Our innings was interrupted by a couple of rain breaks, and in one of those breaks, our strike bowler Sharpy was playing a bit of soccer with the kids and managed to injure his ankle, meaning he wasn’t able to bowl, which was a huge blow. Most assumed it was an elaborate plot to get out of fielding, and the ankle would come good when the Rovers tailenders came out to bat, but it turns out it was a legitimate injury. Despite Sharpy’s bung ankle, Imps made a great start, with Rovers being 3/11, with a run out and a wicket each to Scotty Aitken and Tom Starkey.

From there, we continued to take wickets regularly and not allow Rovers establish a partnership, reducing Rovers to 9/83, with Dominic Thompson making an impressive debut with the ball taking 3/19, and Ross Williams and Jayden Jones also taking a wicket each. With 71 runs to get with the last wicket, the game was seemingly over, but Rovers smashed 25 off the next 4 overs and things were starting to get a bit tense.

The desperation of the situation was evident when Mick McNulty attempted to stop a boundary with a slide into the boundary fence, gouging a big hole in his leg, requiring a quick trip to see the good folk at Latrobe Regional Hospital. Inspirational stuff Mick. In an inspired piece of leadership, Scotty Aitken replaced the custard arm of Dean Campbell on the boundary, and the next ball went straight to Scotty, with the Rovers attempting a second run, and Scotty running the Rovers batsmen out. Game over. Imps win by 42 runs.

A frustrating day with the weather, but an excellent win, and a great start to the season. Much like in season 2021/22, the expectations of Imps from outside of the Club and the rest of the TDCA appear to be very low, but just like the Club did in season 2021/22, Imps will continue to exceed those expectations.